For You I'd Fall
by StarzOfDraco
Summary: "Well any story's tale is tall. Thus reminding love is allegorical. I mean the goal here after all, is not to hurt at all"  It's official!  Quinn Fabray and Artie Abrams are a couple. Picks up where "Unnoticed" left off.
1. Chapter 1

_Edit: I should have probably mentioned this when I first posted, but...me = silly. =P This is a sequel to my previous fic entitled "Unnoticed." This fic will most likely make a bit more sense if you've read that one first. _

_Thanks for stopping by!  
_

* * *

"Artie…" Quinn drawled in between kisses. "We have to stop…"

"I know." Bringing his hand to her cheek, Artie leaned in and captured her lips once again.

"You're gonna be late for…" Her words became lost within another kiss.

"Mmhmm."

It had been fifteen hours (not that either of them were keeping track or anything) since Quinn and Artie became an official item and it had been fifteen minutes since Quinn and Artie found themselves in a kiss and stop only to kiss again cycle.

The night before (during a five hour phone call; two hours of which was spent playing the 'no, you hang up' game) they made plans to meet at their spot and discuss how they were going to make their first entrance together as a couple. Their discussion got as far as 'Hi' before Quinn found herself on his lap and the both of them found themselves dispelling any need for oxygen.

Ending the kissing spree, Quinn sighed and gently rested her forehead against his. "Enough." She tried to sound firm and in charge, but the breathlessness of her tone and the small smile playing on her features made it seem more flirtatious than unrelenting.

"One more?" Artie pleaded with a natural pout and an uneven shrug. "For good luck?"

"Hmm…" Quinn stood and smoothed the edges of her cheerleading uniform. "Just one." She held out a stern finger before leaning forward and bringing her lips dangerously close to his. Smirking devilishly, she paused mere centimeters from her goal. Teasingly, she winked before pulling back and straightening her posture. "After. You're late as it is."

With eyes wide and jaw too heavy to keep shut, Artie was well shaken. Unbeknown to him, Quinn continued to follow the Celibacy Club's motto even after she no longer fit the requirements to be a part of it.

…_It's all about the teasing, not about the pleasing…_

Artie released a scoff-like exhale. "Don't play me like that, woman. You know you wanna get up on this." He smiled innocently.

Arching a telling brow, Quinn brought her hands to her hips and clucked her tongue in faux irritation.

Artie smiled wider. "There's no point in trying to resist." His expression began to drop as Quinn steadily held her ground.

When his hands started fidgeting and he adjusted his glasses, Quinn decided it was time to drop the facade. The poor boy was beginning to think they weren't joking around and that she was legitimately annoyed, which made Quinn silently laugh behind her stony expression. With hands remaining at her hips and the tiniest smirk creeping into form, she bent forward at the waist and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

Grinning, Artie took a hold of her hand and entwined their fingers together. "I-I guess it's time." His voice staggered within an uneven breath as he brought his gaze to the back entrance of the school. "Are you ready to do this?"

"Um…I…" Quinn unknowingly gripped his hand tighter as she stared fretfully at the door. It wasn't that she was scared or embarrassed necessarily. Artie was her boyfriend and she was proud of the fact. The thing that got her was the constantly stirring pot of worry housed in the pit of her butterfly infested stomach.

McKinley High School wasn't the friendliest place on the planet. The kids were cruel and the gossip they spread? Crueler. Quinn had enough pull and attitude to deal with most of the cackling jerks that populated the halls, but Artie? She had no idea how he would handle everything. The last thing she wanted was for him to be scared off.

It wasn't just the school's reaction to her, the head cheerleader, dating him, the school's resident geek, that worried her, but it was also the other side of the school's (that was the best euphemism she could think of for saying the 'un-populars') reaction to him dating her.

The two of them ran in two completely opposite social circles. So opposite, that the two groups even sat on opposite sides of the cafeteria and hung out on opposite sides of the school. And the groups ('A/V nerds' and 'Jazz weirdos' as they were called) Artie hung out with? Quinn couldn't claim she played nice with any of them or was the least bit friendly to them…ever. She didn't fit in with his crowd as much as he didn't fit in with hers.

She knew it was ridiculous to be concerned over such silly things, especially since they were happy together and if things turned for the worst, they could form their own circle. When it came down to it though, sometimes the silliest things cause the biggest wedge between two people and that was something that scared Quinn more than she'd cared to admit.

Not to mention she had no clue how the rest of glee club finding out would unfold. It didn't help that they both had history with more than one (in her case, three) other person in the group. Talk about awkward.

"I think maybe we should…_not_ do this just yet." Artie swallowed hard as he stared on at the door feeling as panicked as Quinn was.

Releasing his hand, Quinn glared down at her boyfriend with a hardened expression. "What are you trying to say? You don't want anybody knowing about us?" Sure, Quinn had her own apprehensions concerning their coming-out, but that didn't mean she wanted him to have any. Any guy should be itching to drag her through the hallways, telling anyone and everyone that she was his and not be chickening out as Artie was doing.

"No! Not at all." He reclaimed her hand with his. "Honestly, if I wasn't so afraid I'd roll off the ledge; I'd find a way on to the roof and shout it out to anyone that came within the school's perimeters." Bringing their clasped hands closer, he placed a tender kiss on the back of her hand. "I'm a little worried that's all, about…"

"Glee club?" She finished for him as she continued to stare fretfully at the door, thankful that their spot was outside an entrance that people rarely used.

He nodded slowly. "More specifically Puck." He lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "Don't tell my girlfriend this, but…I have it on good authority that her ex could take me. As much as I want to brag to everyone who'll listen that I have the hottest girlfriend ever, I have come accustomed to breathing and would like to continue doing so."

Shaking her head, Quinn repressed the urge to giggle at Artie's wording. The more time they spent together the more she found herself adoring what she fondly referred to as 'Artie Speak.' "You don't have to worry about Puck. I can handle him."

"I know. I just think things might go smoother if everyone hears it from us instead of through the grapevine."

Somberly, she nodded in agreement. It was what she wanted. She wanted to put off their grand entrance, but a part of her felt a little hurt that Artie wanted to wait as well, no matter how much his reasoning made sense. What? She was a girl; she reserved the right to be complicated and wishy-washy. It came with the territory of being who she was.

"Hey." He squeezed her hand, well aware of what was going on in the inner workings of Quinn's mind. "After we tell them, you're gonna have an impossible time keeping me from bragging about us. Now, give your man some sugar." Smiling, Artie tugged Quinn down to him and placed a not so chaste kiss on her lips.

* * *

In full uniform, Artie waited on the field for Coach Beiste to arrive. He began zoning out, staring over at the sidelines and thinking about how awesome the next game would be with his cheerleader girlfriend cheering for him. Secretly, he hoped that she would have the Cheerios create a new cheer using his name, kind of like the ones they do for the quarterback and those of them who weren't the team's battering ram.

"Hey man, you gotta do make-ups too?" Sam called out to Artie as he jogged up. "Sweet. I hate doing these alone."

Adjusting his glasses, Artie felt a swell of awkwardness coming on. Sam was one of those specific glee clubbers Artie was nervous about telling. Yeah, he wanted to throw it in the perfect blond's perfect face that he, a not so perfect geek, got the perfect girl, but as far as Artie remembered, wing men weren't supposed to move in on the girl in question. Making out with Quinn was probably not what Sam meant when he asked Artie to put in a good word.

"So...you're, like, really good friends with Quinn, right?" Sam questioned as he pulled his arm across his chest in a stretch. "You think you could talk to her? Cause I'm starting to get the feeling she's blowing me off or something."

Artie took to staring at his lap in an attempt to bar the glowing smile that was threatening to form at what was most likely a highly inappropriate moment. "Wh-what makes you say that?"

"She texted me last night saying she wasn't going to the dance with me, which kinda blows. Then I tried calling her and every time it went straight to voicemail."

"M-maybe she wants some space?" Artie stammered out as he struggled to maintain composure. Quinn was already his, damn it.

"I don't know." Sam shrugged as he threw on his helmet. "Maybe she's playing hard to get or something. I just gotta try harder. I mean look at me, she's gonna say yes eventually, right?" He plastered on an over confident smirk that was clearly visible even through the helmet.

Slouching forward, Artie's emotions started bubbling. He didn't want Sam trying harder. He wanted Sam to back up off his woman. "I'm going with Quinn." Unable to hold it in any longer (even though it had been less than ten minutes since he and Quinn agreed to keep things quiet), he blurted it out completely unintentionally…sort of unintentionally.

Sam removed his helmet and looked down at Artie with a dumbfounded expression. "What? You mean like going-going or like _going-_going?"

Artie straightened in pride. "Quinn and mine's friendship has blossomed beyond mere platonic adoration into something more of the romantic sort and I would appreciate it if you would...step off." With that, he turned his chair and wheeled himself towards the track where he was set to do laps.

With his mouth slung open, Sam stood there looking entirely deflated. "So not cool..."

* * *

Artie sat hunched over his desk, skimming through his biology text book, as the familiar sound of keds squeaking approached.

"This seat taken?" Quinn breathed.

Artie looked up at her with a disinterested expression. "I _was _saving it for my girlfriend. Quinn Fabray? You might have heard of her. She's only the prettiest coolest girl in this school."

"Really?" She took the seat next to him as she suddenly came to appreciate the beauty of not having assigned seats. Leaning over, she whispered in a gossipy tone. "From what I heard, she's quite the B-I-T-C-H."

He chuckled. "Who be spreading these lies? I may have to have a word with them."

"It's nice to know chivalry isn't dead."

They smiled flirtatiously at one another until Artie noticed Sam walk into the classroom. Diverting his gaze, Artie drummed his thumbs against his text book. "Uh, I have to tell you something."

Pursing her lips, Quinn tilted her head and raised a suspicious brow. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"I-it's not a big deal. Really." His entire upper body began fidgeting as he refused to meet her in the eyes. "I sort of might have told Sam...about us."

Quinn sighed, but didn't say anything.

"I know we agreed to keep things on the down low, but I couldn't help myself. Are you mad?" He glanced over to her with wide innocent eyes. "It sort of just came out." He shrugged.

Smiling, she hid her face in her hands and shook her head. "I told that frizzy haired blogger guy." She laughed within a deep exhale.

His eyes widened. "What now?"

"_Quinn Fabray!" Jacob Ben Israel chased after the blond cheerleader as she made her way down the hall. "What is your response to the rumors that you chose a cripple over the starting quarterback as your dish d'jour?" _

_Quinn turned on a heel and scowled. "That 'cripple' has a name." With a flip of her pony tail, she continued on her way._

"_What about the rumors that you turned on your own and are now playing for team misfit?" He continued to stick that disgusting smelling microphone in her face._

"_Shoo fly." She flicked her wrist. "Buzz away now."_

"_So it is true that you in fact are getting hot and steamy with one Artie Abrams? How does that even work? Can he…well, you know?" Jacob was proving to be not only annoying, but relentless._

_Rolling her eyes, Quinn came to a sudden halt. "You want a story, huh?" She huffed and forcefully yanked the microphone closer before staring directly into the camera. "Me and Artie? Yeah, we're dating. Live with it." _

Artie dropped his jaw in awe. "I can't believe you did that."

Biting her lip, Quinn grinned. "We're quite the pair, aren't we?"

"Yeah…" He placed his hand over hers. "We are."

_

* * *

A/N: Ugh, I really shouldn't be starting yet another story, but damn it, Kevin is too addictive. Hehe...I'mma try and throw a bit more fluff (which I suck at writing) in between the drama and angst this time so please bear with me =P_

_btw: if anyone read the description, linked it with the title, and recognized them as lyrics. I totally love you! =) It's from Jason Mraz's "Happy Endings"_

_Thanks for reading! _


	2. Chapter 2

"So…"

"Yahuh…"

"You think they know?" Quinn clutched tightly at her lunch tray, her knuckles whitening in effort.

"Uh…" Nodding slowly, Artie took in the sight of the entire cafeteria populace as they pointed, giggled, and stared. Barbed whispers persistently bounced around behind mouth covering hands while lunches sat cold and uneaten. "I have an inkling they might."

"So…"

"Yeah…"

The two of them stood at a lost as they returned the various pointed glances with their own gob-smacked expressions. In their naiveties, neither could quite grasp what the big deal was. Quinn expected there would be talk (especially after her run in with Jacob), but nothing like what was happening. She expected a few slanderous comments here and there; maybe a jerk or two giving them a hard time, but she didn't expect that the two of them would be _the _gossip of the day. Of the week? Month? _Year? _Her head was really beginning to spin.

Artie expected something entirely different. He was wise enough to be on guard when it came to Puck and Sam (ignoring the fact that his guard slipped _unintentionally _when it came to the latter), but with the rest of the school? Artie was expecting something more along the lines of what happened when he briefly dated Brittany (if what they did constitutes as dating)…absolutely nothing. The school didn't seem to care one bit when they roamed the halls together. There were no questions. No laughter. No ceasing or increasing of schoolyard bullying. All that happened was…nothing.

After some thought, Artie deduced that he was ridiculous to assume nothing would come of the school finding out about him and Quinn. When it came to the two cheerleaders, Brittany didn't come close to comparing. As cliché as it is, Quinn was _that _girl. She was the one that every girl wanted to be and every guy wanted to be with. She was stunning, sweet, smart, and…perfect. Of course there would be talk. The student body was most likely trying to decide whether Quinn lost her marbles or if Artie was blackmailing her or something as equally pathetic. He knew the truth though and that was all that was supposed to matter.

Alas, they went to McKinley High and gossip within its halls rarely died down on its own when left unaddressed. They had to deal with as much as they could then and there before things had a chance to develop lives of their own.

"What do you want to do?" Chewing her lower lip, Quinn struggled with keeping her confident demeanor intact. "Ignore them and sit at our own table?"

"I think it would be best if we divide and conquer. You know, attack the situation head on." Scanning the cafeteria, Artie spotted Mercedes and Kurt waving him over to one side while the other side filled with those covered head to toe in red and white. "If we avoid this, assumptions will be made and things will only get worse. I say we deal with this now and be done with it. I'll take care of them…" He nodded towards Mercedes and Kurt."…while you sit with your table and inform every one of my awesome kissing abilities."

Quinn quirked a brow. "Awesome?"

"Awesome. Amazing. Dead sexy." Adopting a suggestive tone, he waggled his eyebrows as a jovial smile played on his lips. "Feel free to use any of those."

Shaking her head, Quinn released a laugh-like breath causing Artie to awkwardly adjust his glasses.

"S-sorry. Too much?" Pulling his shoulders together, he diverted his gaze downwards to his knotted hands. "I was trying to lighten the mood. I don't like seeing my girl stressed."

"It's not that." Fine lines formed at the corner of her eyes as an ever growing smile tugged at her lips. "It's a good idea, dividing and conquering. I've never dated a smart guy before." Quinn chuckled softly to herself. "I like it." Biting her lip, she bent down and planted a feathery kiss upon his cheek...which, of course, induced another fit of chatter among the populace. "My books?" She held her hand out expectantly.

Placing his forearm protectively over the text book and binder that sat in his lap, Artie shook his head. "No, I'm keeping these as collateral…just in case." He reached out and held her hand, squeezing it lightly. "Don't go changing your mind on me, alright?" He stared up at her with the widest most innocent eyes he could muster as a toothless half smile formed. It was a look he mastered after years of watching his baby sister give the exact same look to their mother time and time again.

She squeezed his hand back. "I won't…" Feigning a stern expression, Quinn released his grip and placed her hand assertively on her hip. "…as long as you wheel me to class after lunch. Deal?"

With a full smile, he nodded. "Deal."

* * *

"Spill!"

Artie was barely able to transfer his lunch tray to the table, let alone throw his breaks into position, before Kurt started in on him.

"Details! I want to know ev-ver-ry-thing. Go." Shoving his tray aside, Kurt leaned across the table with intent, determined to garner as much juicy insider information as he could sink his teeth into.

"W-what's going on?" Tina questioned as she uneasily approached and took a seat at their table. "Did I miss something?" Sparing a quick glance at Artie, her expression tensed uncomfortably. Artie's and Tina's relationship may have been long over without any hope or want (at least on his part) for reconciliation, but there was still a messy history between them. The thing about history is that though it may be forgotten or ignored, it always remains and it's always uncomfortable.

Smacking her lips, Mercedes dipped into a teasing tone that was full of pride. "My boy Artie here got himself a new main squeeze, ain't that right?"

Tina furrowed her brows as she pulled her attention away from Artie. "Who?"

"Our very own…wait for it…" Smirking, Kurt paused for dramatic effect as he met Tina directly in the eyes. "Quinn Fabray."

With mouth unwittingly hanging open, Tina hesitantly turned to face Artie. "You and Quinn are back together?" Her features twitched in confusion. "I thought you two were…"

"Wait, wait, hold up." Mercedes flailed her arms in the air. "What'd you mean _back_ together?"

"Ooh, this just gets better and better." Widening his eyes, Kurt tapped his fingers against themselves flippantly. There was a brief moment of silence while Artie stabbed at his food until Kurt grew unbearably impatient (it didn't take very long). "Well…" Kurt urged with his eyes as he dragged Artie's tray closer to him and further from Artie.

Mercedes laughed at Kurt's display. "Start talking lover boy."

Artie adjusted his glasses. He wasn't exactly sure how much he was allowed to divulge. There was nothing embarrassing, necessarily, about his relationship with Quinn. As far as he was concerned, everything was pretty much brag worthy, but on a more personal level, their beginnings were made up of a collection of intimate moments that were made more special by the fact that those moments were solely their own. The whole question of 'how much can he tell people' was _supposed_ to be a part of their morning discussion, but Quinn's lips were too deliciously distracting for Artie to pass up.

It was _so _worth it.

"There's not much to tell." Folding his hands in his lap, Artie shared a glance with each of those at the table. "We're together now, me and Quinn. She's my girlfriend. There's nothing more to share." Lowering his gaze, he smiled to himself.

"Oh please." Kurt sputtered within a scoff. "Don't pull that coy act with me. There's so much more. I know it. You know it."

"I, um, I just remembered…" Tina stood suddenly, hastily gathering her bag and lunch tray. "I have to go…somewhere else." Avoiding eye contact with Artie, Tina waved goodbye to Kurt and Mercedes. "See ya."

"Later girl." Mercedes offered.

Disinterested, Kurt waved Tina off with minimal effort as he remained focused on the much more interesting topic at hand. "Talk."

"It's simple…" Artie shifted his sight, meeting Quinn's eyes from across the cafeteria. She was staring directly at him with mouth slightly open and a somewhat abashed look covering her features. Smiling, he discreetly waved and her entire expression morphed into one of elation as she returned with her own shy smile. "I like her…a lot." His voice trailed off and he continued to stare as Quinn turned her attention to the cheerleader next to her. Unable to tear his eyes away from her, he couldn't help feeling undeniably lucky to be with a girl like Quinn, a girl who he not only cared deeply for, but who was crazy enough to care for him just as much.

He must have been staring longer than he realized because before he knew it, Kurt was snapping his fingers and Mercedes was waving her hands.

"Yo, Artie!" Mercedes raised her voice in an effort to capture Artie's attention.

"Huh?"

"Interesting…" Kurt leaned back in his seat and took to examining his fingernails. "It _is_ for real. Hmph."

"Yeah it is…" Artie spoke wistfully before snapping out of it and gaining focus. "Wait, what?" His brows wrinkled in bewilderment as he looked to Kurt for answers. Artie wanted to know exactly what that 'hmph' implied.

Kurt sighed. "I, for one, didn't believe it. I mean, who would trust the meat heads that fill this school?" Scoffing, his face twisted into a 'duh' expression. "Not to mention the idea of the two of you sounds completely ridiculous in the after school special there must be a lesson in all of this sort of way, but that look you two just shared? There's no way either of you could fake that kind of intensity."

"Uh, thanks…I guess." Artie drew out the sound as his brows remained furrowed. "Why wouldn't you believe that I'm dating Quinn? It's…plausible."

"No offense, but…" Mercedes folded her arms, resting them on the table. "Kurt has a point."

"What is that supposed to mean, yo?" Feeling more than a tad insulted, Artie's voice cracked mid sentence.

"Let me handle this." Sitting forward, Kurt brushed a hand against Mercedes' forearm. "What I think Mercedes is trying to say…well, what I'm trying to say is that you're not necessarily…" Kurt made flourishing movements with his hands as his eyes raked over Artie's form. "...the traditional _style_ the revs up the typical cheerleader, if you know what I mean."

"Umm…." Artie's expression scrunched in confusion. "Honestly, I never know what you mean, but I do know that Quinn isn't the typical cheerleader. There's more to her than just the uniform."

Rolling his eyes, Kurt sighed as he returned his lunch tray to its former position. "That may be so, but if you're expecting to keep her interested and that fire of yours sparking…you're gonna have to do something about that wardrobe of yours. It definitely lacks in the sex-appeal department and trust me; it's required to keep a girl like Quinn from straying to the more desirable folk."

"You do sorta dress like my grandfather's…grandfather." Mercedes added with a nod.

"And Mr. Schue." Kurt continued with the unnecessary additions. "And that is someone no one should emulate when it comes to fashion. Did you see that horrendous lump of fabric he calls a jacket? Not to mention that glob of mess he thinks is hair. Eww. I swear there is an entire barrel of butter up there."

Letting Kurt's and Mercedes' fashion bashing of Mr. Schue fall to the background, Artie inspected his outfit. In his personal opinion, he was looking quite snazzy in his black and red diamond sweater vest that covered a clean and crisp white dress shirt. His pants were beige Dockers and his black and white sneakers tied the entire ensemble together splendidly. He was dressed to be swoon-over worthy…at least that was what he thought until he saw Mr. Schue walk into the cafeteria. Mr. Schuester was wearing his own solid blue sweater vest that covered a clean and crisp white dress shirt with a black tie peeking out of the top of the vest. His pants were also beige Dockers and his feet were also clad in black and white sneakers.

Artie wanted to…he didn't know what, but vomiting was beginning to sound like a good idea. If the realization that he did in fact dress like a teacher who was known for 'trying too hard to keep it young and failing' wasn't enough to make Artie want to roll himself off a very high fashion runway, the appearance of Finn, Puck, and Sam sure did the trick.

Finn was supposedly Quinn's first love, but Artie liked to disregard the fact. The freakishly tall teen wore the popular jock look perfectly with his stylish over shirts, the 'I totally just threw this on, but doesn't it look amazing' t-shirts, and his loose fitting jeans that had tears and frays in all the right places. If Finn was a template for the kind of guy Quinn was into, Artie knew he missed the mark…by like a couple of gazillion miles worth.

Puck was the bad boy that stole Quinn's attention. He rocked the 'I don't give a…' look with his snug jeans and even snugger shirts. Let's not forget about the mohawk. Even Puck's hairstyle screamed bad-ass. What did Artie's scream? Forward comb-overs rock?

Sam was, in Quinn's words, just another Finn so Artie knew even 'all boy's school' Sam had an edge on him when it came to sex-appeal. Hell, Sam had the edge on him when it came to a lot of things...even with the ridiculous Bieber hair.

As Artie continued to look himself over and compare his choice of clothing to those that previously captured _his _Quinn's attention, he began to slowly and slowly see the truth behind Kurt's words. Maybe he _would_ have to up his game if he wanted to not only be with her, but if he wanted her to stay with him.

* * *

Taking a deep, not at all anxious breath, Quinn approached her table. Squaring her shoulders, she squeezed in between two 'bottom of the pyramid' cheerleaders and took her normal seat across from Brittany and Santana.

Everyone around her fell silent, looking to her as if they were waiting for her to make the first move. "Hey…" Quinn offered in hopes it would scatter the unnecessary tension the surrounding gawkers were creating.

Santana grunted in response, not giving Quinn much thought while Brittany fussed with her phone. "My cat has more followers than me…"

Santana rolled her eyes. "Brit, its quiet time." She said as she smoothed Brittany's hair in more of a condescending manner than a friendly one.

"Okay…but how is he more popular than me? He's never made out with anyone…" Brittany shrugged, returning her attention to her phone.

Quinn sat awkwardly, her foot shaking non stop. She was waiting for the inevitable barrage of questioning or...more likely, teasing. There were a few jocks and cheerleaders whispering at the end of the table, but beyond that, nothing was happening. She half expected Santana to run her out of the cafeteria or a jock giving her a slushie facial. So far though…nothing.

It didn't take long for the nothingness of the situation to subside as a raspy voice came from behind. "What does he have on you anyways?"

"Wha-?" Quinn startled as a red-headed 'third row of the pyramid' cheerleader slipped in next to her.

"The loser." The girl flicked her wrist in Artie's direction. "He _must _have something on you. That's the only reason I can think of that anyone would even consider going with a geek like that. I mean come on; does his mommy still dress him? And those glasses? He might as well brand the word GEEK onto his forehead or something."

Looking abashed, Quinn turned her sight to Artie, who was smiling to himself while in mid conversation with Kurt and Mercedes. The red head continued to tear down Artie and Quinn found herself frozen…until Artie's enthralling blue eyes met hers. A small smile and a tiny wave later, Quinn found the strength she needed. Artie was hers as much as she was his and there was no way she was going to let some second string top of the pyramid wannabe tear her man down.

"Did you guys hear how he asked to be on the football team? He said he wanted abs!" The girl snorted in laughter. "Please! Could he be any lamer?"

"Goodbye." With neck extended and arms crossed, Quinn spoke calmly, her voice unfaltering.

"Uh, _excuse _me. What did you just say?"

Locking glares with the red head, Quinn strengthened her voice. "If you have a problem with my boyfriend, then I have a problem with you. Goodbye, you're not welcomed here, at _my_ table, anymore." She flicked her wrist in the same way the girl had earlier. "Shoo."

The girl huffed angrily. "Who do you think you are? You can't talk to me like that." Desperately, the red head turned to the others for help, but none of them were offering any. "This isn't even your table!"

"She said beat it, buck teeth!" Out of nowhere, Santana snapped at the girl. "Take your split ends and get up out my space." When the girl remained unmoving, Santana waved her off. "Go. Now."

Horrified, the girl covered her mouth, hiding her overgrown front teeth, and ran away.

Quinn widened her eyes, finding it impossible to keep her mouth shut. Santana was the one that warned what dating Artie would do to her reputation and yet, Santana had her back. "Um…I…Santana…" Stumbling on her thoughts, Quinn struggled with the difficulty of speaking. "Than-"

"Don't go all 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' on me, gees." Santana scoffed, cutting Quinn off in mid thanking. "This bitch you is so much cooler than that little wholesome lamb act you like to strut around with." She nodded within a single sided shrug. "I approve, but that doesn't mean I like you or anything."

Not needing Santana's approval (or anyone else really, though it did help calm those fluttering butterflies housed within her stomach) Quinn simply grinned and returned her gaze to Artie. He really was the smartest guy she had ever dated and without a doubt...the best.

* * *

After school let out, Quinn waited by her locker for Artie to show. He was scheduled to wheel her to the choir room for glee. In exchange, she would have to give him a kiss…a real one…on the lips. Quinn tried to sound put-off by the terms, but secretly, she felt as though she was getting doubly rewarded. Kissing Artie was…awesome, amazing, and dead sexy, but his ego didn't need to hear that…yet.

Sighing blissfully, Quinn worked on taping up a picture she had taken of Artie during Aimee's 'Super Special Girls Only (exception made for King Arthur) Tea Party Extravaganza.' He was wearing a paper crown and holding a tiny tea cup that barely fit his pinky. His expression was twisted and he looked a little horrified that Quinn was snapping a picture of him, but it was her favorite and as soon as she took the shot, she knew it was going to end up decorating her locker door sooner or later. Might as well make it sooner.

"So, you and Artie huh?" Tina's voice came from behind the open locker.

"Huh?" Quinn responded, closing the door slightly, just enough to get a glimpse of Tina.

Holding her books close to her chest, Tina awkwardly closed the distance between them. "You and Artie, you're…together?"

"Yeah…we are. Why?" The surrounding air turned stale as Quinn found herself in the midst of a very weird conversation with her current boyfriend's ex. She wasn't sure exactly where Tina was heading with all of it.

"No reason." Tina's shoulders pulled together as she tightened her grip on her books. "It's just...h-he's a good guy, you know. He's been through a lot…"

Quinn arched a suspicious brow. "I know…"

"So, don't hurt him, okay?" Plastering on an obviously fake smile, Tina attempted to sound light hearted, but Quinn could see right through to the bitter core beneath. "Cause I'll be here…watching…and if you do, I just might have to kick your ass." Keeping the smile in place, she nodded and turned to walk away.

"Hey Tina?" Quinn wasn't an idiot. She knew what was going on. Artie had told her about Tina asking him to the dance and she knew full well that Tina wasn't over him (go to the dance as just friends? Yeah right), especially since Tina and Mike broke up, and she wasn't about to let Artie's ex get in the way. "I'll be here too…watching. I know what you're really saying so listen up. Artie _is_ a great guy, but you had your chance and if you're planning on weaseling your way back into his heart, I might have to kick yours." With that, she slammed her locker shut. "Got it?" It was a little much, she realized, but she was determined to get the message across.

"You really like him?" Tina called out as Quinn walked away.

Stalling her exit, Quinn noticed Artie heading down the hallway with a bright smile pulling on his lips. Speaking over her shoulder, she nodded. "I really do."

* * *

"I'm not a girl  
Not yet a woman  
All I need is time  
A moment that is mine  
While I'm in between.  
I'm not a girl  
Not yet a woman."

Brittany bowed before running back to her seat as the rest of club hesitantly clapped.

"Uh…" Drawling, Mr. Schuester cocked a brow. "Thank you Brittany for that somewhat inappropriate rendition."

Artie and Quinn shared an uncomfortable glance. Somehow, Brittany was able to turn what was supposed to be an innocent song into something…not so innocent.

"Alright then, who's next? Sam?" Mr. Schuester gestured towards the blond. "You have something prepared?"

Jumping out of his seat, Sam clapped his hands together and went to retrieve his guitar. "Yeah, I uh, I got something."

"What song are you singing?"

"Ryan Cabrera's 'It's True.'"

"And what does it express about you?" Mr. Schue questioned as he took an empty seat.

With a crooked smile, Sam positioned himself in front of Quinn and stared directly at her. Winking, he answered. "That I don't give up that easily."

As soon as everyone was settled and as soon as Sam assured his guitar was tuned, he began.

"I won't talk  
I won't breathe  
I won't move till you finally see  
that you belong with me

You might think  
I don't look  
But deep inside in the corner of my mind  
I'm attached to you  
Mmm

I'm weak  
It's true  
Cause I'm afraid to know the answer  
Do you want me too?  
Cause my heart keeps falling faster

I've waited all my life to cross this line  
To the only thing that's true  
So I will not hide  
It's time to try anything to be with you  
All my life I've waited  
This is true"

Unimpressed, Quinn linked her arm with Artie's and rested her head against his shoulder. As Sam continued to sing, Artie became more and more tensed. Quinn didn't seem to be affected by Sam as she snuggled closer every time Artie unknowingly gripped her hand tighter or every time he possessively placed a kiss on the top of her head whenever Sam dared to send a telling glance her way, but it was more than affecting Artie. Sam was supposed to back off, not become the competition. So. Not. Cool.

* * *

As the others poured out of the choir room, Artie hung back and waited for the opportunity to snag Kurt's attention. "Kurt?" He spoke quietly as his hands fidgeted in his lap. "I need your help…" His expression twisted unpleasantly as Kurt grew more and more impatient. Clearing his throat, he timidly continued. "I am a blank canvas…make me sexy."

Kurt's eyes lit up, giddy with overwhelming excitement. "First, I'm going to need your measurements. Second, I'll need either paper or plastic, preferably plastic. One without a limit would be best." Shifting his weight to his back leg, he brought a hand to his chin and inspected Artie's form. "Hmm, I'm thinking highlights and…" He snatched Artie's glasses away. "Do you really need these? It's distracting."

"Only to, you know, see." Artie said as he grasped wildly at the air in front of him.

Kurt scoffed. "I'll figure something out. Meet at my house after school tomorrow and be prepared to, to quote the ever stylish Justin Timberlake, bring sexy back."

Artie narrowed his eyes as he watched Sam exit, that stupid smirk of his prominently on display. "Oh, I'm ready."

* * *

_A/N: To all you NLT fans out there, yes...Quinn is "That Girl" and to all you twitter peeps, yes...Quinn is also alittlelamb._

_I just want to put this out there, I actually dig Artie's look and I really do like the way Kevin wears his hair. I find it to be hella sexy. Just wanted to make that clear =)_

_Sorry if this chapter seems a bit...off. I ended up writing it in sections during the few times I managed to get an internet connection during my trip. In my current jet lagged state, it make sense lol..._

_Thanks for reading!  
_


	3. Chapter 3

Expelling a rush of air through her nostrils, Quinn rubbed at her temples in mild frustration. Her essay involving the thematic idea of technology versus humanity within the contents of Aldous Huxley's _Brave New World_ was proving increasingly difficult to complete, considering the boy that was sitting mere inches away, staring with more than just a little adoration glistening within his eyes.

Artie sat silently, barely making a peep outside of breathing, while his chin rested in his hands. In all consideration, he was the perfect company, not bothering Quinn and letting her focus on her work, but his presence alone was enough of a distraction. Not to mention that the distinctive scent that was entirely Artie Abrams pleasantly invaded her senses and tickled her brain. It took Quinn a couple whiffs to pinpoint exactly what he smelt like: freshly cut grass after a midsummer rain…or possibly he smelt more like he was on a boat holding an oyster with two tickets to that thing she loved.

Now she was replaying commercials in her mind? Yep…distracting.

"I'm never going to finish this because of you." She spoke without lifting her eyes from the paper.

"What am I doing?"

"Being…" Smirking, she brought her hazel-green eyes to meet his alluring blue ones. "…distracting."

"Me? Distracting?" Sputtering at the words, Artie grinned behind his mock of an injure expression. "I can't possibly be held responsible for the fact that you simply can't get enough of me." Playfully, Artie popped his sweater before haughtily dusting off the imaginary lint on his shoulder. "The affect I have on women is simply too powerful."

Raising a brow, Quinn clucked her tongue as a hint that Artie should rethink what he had said.

Patting a fist against his chest, Artie nervously cleared his throat. "I meant woman, not women. As in one woman. As in you. Only you." Laughing awkwardly, he finished with a cough and a crooked smile.

"Hmm..." Growling through tightened lips, Quinn returned her attention to the never going to be finished essay. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Artie smiling coyly. It was beginning to look as though her paper was never going to be written. "What?"

"I think it's time for a study break." Reaching behind his chair, he retrieved a plastic package from his backpack.

Quinn scoffed, expelling yet another rush of air. "That's what got me in this mess to begin with." She laughed sharply as he arched a brow. "Remember? Last night? You called saying I needed a study break...and then the break never ended. Sound familiar?" She struggled with keeping a straight face, but in all honesty, spending the entire night on the phone (half the conversation consisting of her saying she really should get back to work, him pleading for only a few minutes more, and her happily relenting every time) with Artie was totally worth blowing off her assignments...even if it meant spending her morning in the library.

Playing dumb, he shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." Placing the package in front of her, he lowered his gaze sheepishly. "Here..."

Tilting her head, Quinn poked at the packaged with her pen. "What's this?"

"Something for you." He smiled as he nudged the bag closer to her. "Go on, open it."

"It's not going to explode is it?"

"_Dang_ woman, don't you trust me?"

Smirking devilishly, Quinn cautiously opened the bag. She simpered at the sight of a sampler size box of Whitman's Chocolates. "My favorite." Her voice softened as she continued to grin in delight. "Thank you, Artie."

"You like?" He questioned bashfully. It was obvious that he hadn't had much experience when it came to giving gifts to girls. Quinn thought it to be cute, just as she did when he shyly presented her with the bright pink daisy.

Leaning over, she pressed her lips tenderly against his, not caring if anyone was watching. "I like." He smiled, tiny dimples forming in his cheeks, as she gracefully pulled away. "What's the occasion?" She asked as she worked on opening the box.

"N-nothing…" He answered almost too artlessly. "It's just you're…you're…looking particularly…" Scrunching his lips to the side, Artie stumbled through his thoughts in search of the perfect word that would garner him the best reaction. "…radiant this morning."

With a wrinkle in her brow, Quinn paused in mid candy to mouth movement as her internal red flag shot up. She had enough experience with teenage boys to know when something fishy was going on. "Chocolate and compliments?" She gazed on him with a knowing look. "You want something don't you?"

"What-?"

"It's either that or…you're worried over something." Her eyes fluttered. "This isn't about Sam is it? Cause I told you I don't-"

"It's not Sam." Dropping his head forwards, Artie rolled his eyes at the memory of the other boy's attempt at wooing his girl. "And let's _not_ talk about him right now. Or…ever."

Extending a comforting hand, Quinn brushed Artie's bangs to the side and out of his eyes. "Then what is it? As much as I appreciate the chocolate/compliment combo, I know something's up. I have a sixth sense for this sort of thing." She winked in hopes that it would quiet his uneasiness.

"I-I was wondering if it'd be cool if I went over to Kurt's tonight. I know its Friday and according to the guy code, Friday night equates to date night, but he has this…_project_…where my...assistance is required. I think I may have already agreed to it." By the end, Artie had adjusted his glasses twice and doubled the speed of his words . "I-if it's an issue, I-I can..."

Quinn's expression twisted in awe as she released a breathy laugh. "Are you seriously asking for permission to hang out with your friends?" She continued to snicker as Artie scratched at non-existent itches in an unconscious response to her reaction. Shaking her head, Quinn ended with a drawn out sigh. "Of course it's fine." Rolling her eyes, she lightly swatted him on the arm. "I meant to tell you that I'm busy anyways. I'm heading the abstinence education talk at my church this weekend." She shook her head again. "Really Artie, you don't have to ask for permission. Just letting me know is enough."

His hands began fidgeting in his lap. "It's just..." He sighed. "I have a tendency of messing things up with people I really care about. I don't want to do that with you."

Repressing the urge to release a very audible 'aww,' Quinn entwined their hands together and lowered her head, successfully capturing his eyes once again. "Then don't."

* * *

"_Tick-tock Marky Mark!" _Kurt's agitated voice resonated through the bathroom door. _"I swear, paint dries faster than this."_

Artie groaned as he fluffed his…ascot. Yes, ascot. Kurt insisted that half of what makes an outfit spectacular were the accessories...no matter how ridiculous or pointless they may seem. "Your bathroom isn't really…accessible. It makes things a little more difficult."

"_That's an excuse if I ever heard one. Now get out here before I come in there and drag you out!"_

Opening the door, Artie released a discourage breath and reluctantly presented himself in front of his so called stylist. Artie's highlighted hair may have been rather stylish, but the outfit Kurt chose? Not so much.

Artie wore a hideous puffy white shirt that made him feel as though he was Jerry Seinfeld's bastard child. A blinding 'Spiro disco blue' (a color chosen, apparently, to bring out his eyes, but only led to him getting that Eiffel 65 song stuck in his head) thigh length jacket covered most of the puff, but the jacket itself was riddled with more buttons, clasps, and zippers than Artie could count. What were those buttons on the shoulders for exactly? His hips were hugged by a pair of skin tight, white jeans that sat much too low for comfort (low riders plus sitting all day does not lead to fun) and did nothing, but showcase the scrawniness of his legs. And then there was the ascot. That blue and white polka dotted ascot. Maybe he hadn't been clear about the whole 'make me sexy' request. "I feel weird."

"Don't be ridiculous." Kurt scoffed, waving off Artie's obvious discomfort. "You, remarkably, look less like a Picasso and more like a Rembrandt."

"I look like a pirate." Artie bemoaned as he tugged uncomfortably at his collar. "And not the ninja beating kind."

Shifting his weight from foot to foot, Kurt rolled his eyes. "I can't say I wasn't expecting this. Points for trying." Sighing, he retrieved a large Hollister bag from under his bed and tossed it airily into Artie's lap. "Here. It's not what I would call the least bit fabulous, but it does straddle the line of our garden variety teen chic. I'm sure you'll approve."

Artie cringed with anxiety as he hesitantly peered into the bag. All he wanted was there to _not _be another ascot of any kind. If there was one, Artie had planned to high tail it out of there one way or another.

"Go." Kurt waved Artie away. "Fashion waits for no man."

* * *

After a fifteen minute battle with trying to strip out of the first cringe-worthy ensemble and another ten minutes after that to slip into the next, Artie exited the bathroom for a second time. Luckily, there wasn't any puffy shirt or polka dotted ascot. Instead, he was dressed in a plain white long sleeved shirt covered with a white trimmed, black over-shirt. The over shirt was left unbuttoned and Artie couldn't help, but continually tug on it, feeling as though it _should _be buttoned. His pants were also black and it was baggy with large pockets littered down the side of his legs. It didn't feel as weird as the last outfit, but something still felt a little off.

"Finally!" Kurt tossed his magazine to the side and threw his hands in the air. "I was beginning to worry you flushed yourself."

Scrunching his lips to the side, Artie fidgeted with his shirt. "I don't think that's possible…"

"Will you leave that alone." Kurt smacked Artie's hands away before taking a step back and inspecting the new look. With a lopsided shrug, he nodded. "Not bad. Take a look for yourself." Kurt wheeled Artie over to one of his full length mirrors. "It's not everything I was hoping for, but it's not bad. Acceptable even."

Worried at what he might see, Artie squeamishly lifted his gaze, forcing his eyes to take in his reflection.

He blinked. Then blinked again as he was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. "Not bad?" A crooked grin formed. "You be straight _trippin'_, yo! I look downright…pouncable." He let loose a raspy growl and scratched at the air in front of him. Artie had to admit, he looked good…even if he was feeling more than a little uncomfortable in the get-up.

"Kurt? You down there son?" Burt's voice filled the room as he descended down the stairs. "Carole wanted me to remind you that-" Upon seeing Artie sitting there, Burt cocked his head to the side and awkwardly, in the parent sort of way, tried to introduce himself with a handshake. "Oh, hi. I'm, uh, Kurt's dad."

"Um, yeah…" Artie furrowed his brow, worrying that Burt's strong handshake would crush his fingers. "We've met."

"Dad!" Kurt's eyes widened with embarrassment as he held his hand out in presentation. "This is Artie. He's in glee club. The one in a wheelchair. Any of this ringing any bells?"

Taking off his cap, Burt rubbed at his balding head. "Right, right. Artie, I'm sorry. I can be pretty dumb sometimes. You know, getting older, the mind's the first thing to go."

"It's okay Mr. Hummel." Artie smiled politely.

"Oh, no, call me Burt. Mr. Hummel makes me feel old." Bringing his hands to his hips, Burt chuckled. His eyes shifted back and forth between the two boys and before he could censor himself, his mouth was fumbling with the question he both did and didn't want to ask. "Um, so are you two…uh…are you…you know…are you two like…"

"Dad!" Kurt's entire expression widened in horror.

Burt adjusted his posture as his mouth continued to speak without consulting his brain first. "It-it's cool if you are, I-I mean…you know I love you, son, and you don't bring many guys over. It-it's nice to…what I'm trying to say is-"

"Dad, you need to stop talking. Like, now." Crossing his arms, Kurt released a sharp disconcerted breath. "Artie's not my boyfriend, thank God."

"I'm someone else's boyfriend." Artie felt the need to clarify…then he felt the need to continue to clarify. The whole situation became one giant pot of awkward with more than enough word vomit for added seasoning. "A girl someone. I mean…Kurt and I, we're just friends. Platonic friends. Not that I wouldn't...I...I have a girlfriend." Hanging his head low and staring at his knotting hands, Artie thought it would be best to just stay quiet for the rest of the conversation.

Sighing, Kurt dragged a hand down his face and shook his head. The more they tried to not be offensive the more they teetered on the line of becoming. "Did you need something?"

"Right, right." Burt said, clearing his throat. "Carole asked me to remind you that her moist-whatevers…"

"They're called moisturizers." Kurt's head continued to shake.

"Yeah, that. She's almost out and needs you to pick some up the next time you go to wherever it is they come from."

"Is that all?"

Burt nodded and was about to leave, but he couldn't stop staring at the boy in the wheelchair. "I'll leave you boys to it…but before I go, I gotta ask." He turned to face Artie. "How did you get down here? I've been trying to figure it out, and I-"

"Slowly." Kurt interrupted.

"Very slowly." Artie added. "Finn helped."

Burt laughed within an exhale and nodded. As he started to leave, Kurt ran over to the banister and stopped him.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yeah son?"

"We're going to need help getting him…out."

Cracking a smile, Burt nodded again before taking his leave.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the man that raised me." Kurt took a deep breath before focusing his attention back to the life sized dress-up doll. "Anyways, we're not here to talk about me. All that is left are the finishing touches." He said, removing Artie's glasses.

"I need those!" Wildly, Artie grabbed unsuccessfully at the air. "I want to impress Quinn, not compress her by running her over."

"Contacts Artie. Use them. Love them. They are your friends." Leaning forwards, Kurt propped his elbow on Artie's handlebars and rested his chin in his hand as he scanned Artie's reflection. "I must say, I do know how to dress a man. Quinn is going to melt like pudding in your hands when she sees you."

"You really think she'll like it?" Squinting, Artie stared at his blurry reflection as he worked on willing his hands to not tug on his clothing.

"Trust me, Artie." In a effort to get Artie to stop fussing, Kurt placed a friendly hand on the boy's shoulder. "The girl won't know what hit her."

* * *

"So what was is it like? The sex?"

Quinn hung her head forwards and clenched her jaw. When she agreed to lead the abstinent talk at her church on a weekend she normally didn't, she hadn't been forewarned that she would be doing it alone...with a room full of over church-ed and undersexed preteens. "As I've said, it's not about the sex. It's about whether or not you are physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for something so...sacred." Sacred may not have been the word Quinn would have chosen, but the term went over well with the older cheerio donating church goers and as far as she was concerned, what the wallet holding members wanted the wallet holding members got. "Take it from someone who knows. You won't regret waiting, but you will regret _not_ waiting."

"You regret having a child then?" One of the petite blond girls who sat in the front had question after question. If Quinn wasn't feeling the rush of panic over having to answer such personal inquiries, she might have said the girl reminded her a bit of herself.

Remaining composed, Quinn answered honestly. "I regret not being ready to have a child."

"So, you're saying your daughter was a mistake?"

Quinn swallowed hard. If someone asked her that a year ago, she would have answered with a hearty and resounding 'Yes,' but things were different. Her life was different. Where she was emotionally was different. Who she was inside and out…was different. She wasn't at the stage where she considered Beth to be a blessing quite yet, but she did reach the point where her daughter was no longer what she consider to be her 'bastard child.' Beth was her daughter, Quinn could admit it now. She couldn't bring herself to do anything about it, but admitting it was a start. "What I did was a mistake. Bringing life into this world was not."

"Yeah, but-"

"Look at that, we're out of time." Quinn cut the girl off before she would be forced to answer another round of questioning that she wasn't prepared for. All she was supposed to do was talk about abstinence, not talk about her own feelings over past…events. She wasn't ready to go there yet...even with herself.

Once everyone left, Quinn avoided her own lingering thoughts about the discussion and pulled out her phone. She smiled as she noticed a text from Artie.

"_I miss you. How was your talk thing?"_

Feeling her mind ease a bit, Quinn texted back. "Can't wait to see you. Tell me something happy please. I need something happy."

It took less than a minute for him to respond. _"I have a surprise for you. Come to school early."_

"Really? What is it?"

"_Have you never learned the meaning of the word surprise?"_

"Another chocolate/compliment combo?"

"_I'm not divulging any details. You're going to have to wait and see."_

Quinn bit her lip as she thought about what Artie's surprise could be. He certainly had a way with making her feel special and all those other girly feelings that Quinn didn't believe she would feel again. Before she could respond, her phone buzzed with another message.

"_I'm going to call you…I miss you and I want to hear your voice."_

Less than ten seconds later, her phone was flashing with Artie's name. Laughing, she answered. She didn't say 'hello,' instead she said the only thought inhabiting her mind at that moment. "You make me happy, really happy. Don't change, okay?"

"_Just wait until you see your surprise. You're going to have to invent a new word for what you're going to be feeling."_

Cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder, Quinn gathered her belongings and headed out to her car. "Really now?"

"_Really…"_

_

* * *

_

_A/N: Another NLT shout-out. The second outfit Artie wears is supposed to be one of the outfits Kevin wears in the "Karma" vid...it's also my current icon. =P_

_I find Kurt to be an incredibly difficult character to capture, so please let me know what you thought! Also, I'm not a fan of the explanation of how Artie got into Kurt's room, but I was told to go with a "glee style explanation" so, yeah...it lead to that...sorry.  
_

_Thanks for reading! And an extra special thank you to all of those who have reviewed, favored, and/or alerted!  
_

_If you haven't already, join us in the Quartie Forums and become an official Quartieholic! Also, check out the Quartie community and be on the look out for a new fic by hainsy! ;)  
_


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